Fire Alarm design Considerations

Grades of automatic fire detection and warning systems as specified in BS 5839-6 (2004)

Grade A: a fire detection and fire alarm system that is designed and installed in accordance with the recommendations of BS 5839-1 (2002), except clauses relating to fire alarm audibility, fire alarm warnings for the hearing-impaired, standby supplies, manual call points and wireless fire alarm systems, which are replaced by part 6.

This comprises a fire system of electrically operated fire detection of smoke and/or heat detectors which are linked to a fire control panel.

The fire control panel must conform to current BS 5839-4 (or equivalent). In general the fire system must incorporate manual call points which should be located next to final exits, and, in larger multi-storey properties, on each landing. The fire alarm signal must achieve sound levels of not less than 65dB (A) in all accessible parts of the building and not less than 75dB (A) at all bed-heads when all doors are shut, to arouse sleeping persons.

In accordance with the RRO (Regulatory Reform Order) 2005, it is now law that a fire risk assessment is undertaken and the findings published.

This will highlight the importance of ensuring that a fire alarm maintenance procedure is in place, and the fire protection system is testing on a weekly basis.

Fire Systems Ltd a London based fire alarm company offers all types of fire alarm maintenance contracts.

Testing Fire Alarm Systems - Residential

All fire alarm systems, whether a wire or wireless fire alarm need to be regularly tested to ensure they are working properly. Fire alarm testing is important.
The routine fire alarm tests that are required to be carried out frequently do not require specialist knowledge and can normally be carried out by you or your tenant(s). Some routine tests
and fire alarm maintenance (depending upon the grade of the systems concerned) may require specialist knowledge and/or equipment.
If the dwelling has been unoccupied for a period during which the normal and standby supply (if provided) could have failed, the occupier should check immediately on reoccupying the dwelling that the fire alarm system has not suffered total power failure.
Routine testing and maintenance:
Grade A systems (see Section 6 of BS 5839-1 for further details)
Routine testing – at least one smoke detector or call point in each zone should be tested weekly to ensure correct operation of the system. Any defect to the fire detection or the fire alarm should be recorded in the log book and action taken to correct it. fire alarm tests should not involve the use of open flame or any form of smoke or non-specific aerosol that could contaminate the smoke detection chamber or the electronics of the detector.

Routine fire alarm maintenance – a six-monthly service should be carried out by a competent person, usually a specialist alarm engineer, under a maintenance contract. It entails a comprehensive fire fire alarm test to ensure compliance as specified in with BS 5839-1, Section 6. It should be recorded in the log book and an Inspection and Servicing Certificate issued.

Grade B, C, D, E & F systems
Routine fire alarm testing – All fire alarm systems, other than Grade A systems, should be tested at least every week by operating all fire alarm devices in the dwelling. In the case of smoke alarms and any heat alarms, the weekly test may be carried out by use of a
test button on each of the smoke alarms and heat alarms installed in the dwelling.
Routine maintenance – Grade B and Grade C systems should be serviced every six
months in accordance with the supplier’s instructions.
Smoke alarms in Grade D, Grade E and Grade F systems should be cleaned
periodically in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

The grade or type of system is determine following an on site fire risk assessment.

The above testing produces would be the same for a wireless fire alarm system.

A London based fire alarm company Fire Systems Ltd, provide the required fire alarm maintenance on all types of fire protection equipment.

Fire Systems Ltd is awarded contract at the Austrian Embassy

Fire Systems Ltd a London based fire alarm company has been awarded the fire alarm maintenance contract.

The contract is to service and maintain the fire alarm system in accordance with BS5839-1.

The current fire alarm is an old conventional Thorn Menvier with a repeater panel at the entrance. The fire alarm is tested on a weekly basis in accordance with the RRO.

The fire detection is over 10 years old and is due to be upgraded and this will considered in the near future. As additional smoke detection is required in the rooms coming off of the escape routes, the proposed new fire alarm system may be a wireless fire alarm system.

The London based Fire System Ltd was awarded the contract due to it’s enhanced reputation within the fire alarm industry.

Fire Systems will also being maintaining the fire extinguishers and the emergency lighting.

For the weekly fire alarm test, a different manual call point is testing each week to confirm correct operation of the fire alarm system.

Means for Detecting Fire and Giving Warning

 

It is import that an outbreak of fire in a Residential care home should be detected at a very early stage so that the occupants or residents are alerted and the emergency fire action plan implemented as soon as reasonably possible. The longer a fire continues without being detected, the greater the risk to the safety of residents. There should also be a means so that anyone in the premises who discovers a fire, can raise the alarm and alert others.

In accordance with RRO, a fire risk assessment must be undertaken to ascertain if a fire alarm system is required. The fire alarm system can be wired or a wireless fire alarm, whichever is most suitable and cost effective for the client.

Residential Care homes should be provided with a fire alarm and automatic fire detection system which can be operated both by a person and automatically by means of the automatic fire detectors. The provision of suitable fire detection and fire alarm system will only achieve compliance with requirements where the staff personnel (and where appropriate other occupants) know how to operate the fire alarm system and how to respond to system operation.

Some of the features of a fire alarm system may be:

• Manual call points;
• Automatic fire detectors;
• Sounders, bells, electronic sirens and other warning devices;
• Fire Alarm Control and indicator panel;
• Fire Detection zoning; and
• Linked operation and Central Station operation.

The fire alarm system must have a fire alarm maintenance and inspection every six months in accordance with the Regulations.

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Fire Systems Ltd - Wireless fire alarms

Fire Systems a London based fire alarm company have a complete range of radio based Wire-Free fire alarm systems to suit all kinds of buildings and applications.

We have a low budget,  cost effective wireless fire system for residential HMO and small properties. Fire Systems also has a range of more complex high specification, state of the art wireless systems for larger buildings and systems that require more complex programming applications.

Our radio based Wireless fire alarm systems provide a numerous amount of unique features that make these wireless systems an ideal alternative to wired systems for many applications. All the fire detection on the fire system, can be wired or wireless depending on the system chosen.

• fire detectors can be fitted in less than 10 minutes
• The decoration is protected and undamaged
• Disruptive fire installation works are kept to a minimum
• Eliminates costly fire-rated cable
• The fire systems can be easily moved or upgraded as building use changes and evolves.

Our Wireless fire alarm solutions are suitable for fire alarm installation in virtually any type of building or construction, easily matching, and in many cases exceeding the specification and the performance of wired systems.

The fire detection can be heat or smoke detectors depending on the design.

Technorati Tags: fire systems,fire alarms,fire detection,fire alarm maintenance,wireless fire alams,fire alarm testing,fire alarm company.

Our wire-free fire systems utilises sophisticated secure, licence-free, radio communications to interconnect the sensors (smoke detectors, sounders, etc.) with immune filters built in with the controllers. A simple concept, but one that provides many unique benefits.

Our everyday lives and our life styles have been changed by the use of radio communications, blue tooth and other similar technology, and now this technology has expanded in the field of fire safety.

Fire system being a fire alarm company that now specialised in wireless fire alarm system will continue to enhance our expertise within this field as we believe this is the future.

The fire alarm maintenance of wireless fire alarm systems is the same as wired systems. The fire alarm testing which is to be carried out on
a weekly basis, could not be easier.

Inert v Chemical Fire Suppression Systems

The Advantages and Disadvantages of:

Chemical Systems (FM200/NOVEC/CO2) v Inert Systems (i3/Inergen)

A Fire alarm system is used to activate the fire suppression agent.

The fire detection used in these types of fire systems are usually conventional, but as technology improves, more addressable fire alarm systems are now being used.

Chemical Systems (FM200/NOVEC/CO2)

In contrast, Chemical systems, such as FM-200 are very different.

These are manufactured chemical fire extinguishing agents, normally HFC's, which work at low concentrations and attack the fire directly at a molecular level, rather than by reducing Oxygen levels.

They are low pressure fire suppression systems, generally 25 bar, and the agent is stored as a liquid, super-pressurised with Nitrogen to "push" them along the dedicated pipe work.

 

Benefits of Chemical fire suppression Systems are:

• Discharge within 10 seconds ensuring rapid suppression of fire.
• Low storage pressure (25bar)
• The fire suppression agent is stored as a liquid, smaller footprint of hardware than Inert Gas Systems
• Do not reduce Oxygen levels
• Can be modular in design, enabling simple pipe work layout installations
• Easy to retrofit - Additional cylinders can be added, or levels "topped up" without risk of Over Pressurising the enclosure
• Zero Ozone Depletion Potential, time of depletion depends on the fire suppression agent used.

The negatives with Chemical Systems are:

• Some possibility of Global Warming
• Small possibility of breakdown of products if in direct contact with large flame
• Being low in pressure, cylinders need to be stored and installed as close to enclosure being protected as possible
• More difficult to retain within the enclosure once discharged, as agents are heavier than air

All of the fire systems, both Inert and Chemical are approved for use all over the world by bodies such as UL, FM, LPCB etc and are recognised by Environmental Agencies like the EPA as being suitable for use in normally occupied spaces.

 

Inert Systems (i3/Inergen)

These fire suppression systems, which are stored at a much higher pressure of between 150bar and 300 bar, extinguish fires in a passive manner. They reduce the Oxygen content within the protected enclosure to a point where fire can no longer survive or start.

The benefits of these inert type of system are :

• Being high pressure, they can be stored longer distances from the fire risk being protected.
• They have a very good ozone depletion potential of zero.
• They have a very low Global Warming Potential
• No possibility of breakdown products
• Discharge time is usually 60 seconds
• They can be used in different design situation and are able to be used in multi room engineered systems (many risks from one bank of cylinders)
• Similar density to air, hence easier to retain after discharge

The negatives with Inert Gas fire suppression Systems are:

• Being high pressure a higher quantity of gas is required, Also, Pressure Relief Venting will always be required to prevent potential damage to the structure of the enclosure.
• Because they are stored as a gas and not a liquid, many cylinders are required in comparison to Chemical agents
• Complicated and high pressure pipe work is required to expel the gas into the protected area.
• Method of fire extinguishment is through Oxygen Reduction
• Inert Systems cannot be modular in design and must use a central bank design system.

Fire alarm maintenance is similar for both types of fire suppression system.

The fire alarm would usually consist of a fire alarm control panel, detection, sounders, hold off button etc.

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Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Alarm Testing

Know your Legal requirements
Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 (As Amended 1999) require any business with 5 or more employees to carry out a written Fire Risk Assessment and have an Emergency plan.

Failure to carry out a written Fire Risk assessment is a Criminal Offence.

A fire risk assessment is an audit of all fire protection requirements of the property. This will include the fire alarm, fire detection, Emergency lighting, fire alarm maintenance, fire action plan, fire doors, escape routes etc.

Additionally to workplaces, other premises may also be subject to other Regulations that place additional special requirements particularly if the Public may be at Risk. Examples of these are Hotels, Cinema’s, sporting stadiums, places used for the purpose of Public Entertainment’s, licensed premises & restaurants.

Should I carry out a Fire Risk assessment?
Whether a Fire Alarm System has been previously installed or your premises does not have a Fire Alarm or any fire action plan procedure, it is a requirement by law that the Risk assessment is undertaken.

Fire Alarm System Standard
In most cases the actions required following a Risk Assessment will see the installation of (or Upgrade of) a Fire Alarm system and fire extinguishing equipment.

Regular reviews of your Risk assessment will be necessary to ensure any changes within your business circumstances or building layout are still compliant with the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations.

BS5839 Regulations for the fire design, fire installation and fire alarm Maintenance of Fire Detection & Fire Alarms, details the specific requirements for detection & alarm equipment to satisfy the Fire Precautions Regulations.

Continued compliance
Fire Alarm Regulations BS5839 require the duty holder to undertake Periodic checks to ensure the functionality of the fire alarm system.
Failure to keep the Fire Alarm System in working order could lead the local Fire Brigade to serve enforcement notices requiring compliance, they also have the authority to close any building or property which does not meet this act
Check Frequencies required by BS5839 are:

Daily
Weekly
Quarterly
Annually

All check frequencies have specific requirements. Checks should be recorded where necessary in the Fire Safety Log Book.

Do Regulations Change
Fire Regulations have undergone a number of changes since their introduction, keeping up to date with the fire regulations is important and failure to do so may mean that your fire installation does not comply.

How can Fire Systems Ltd help you comply with your legal requirements
As a Fire Alarm testing Specialist, Fire Systems Ltd have considerable expertise in the Periodic Inspection and Test of Fire Alarms.
After careful evaluation of your premises*, its uses and its occupancy, we will carry out a Formal Inspection & test that fully complies with the requirements as set out in BS5839

All inspections will check that the Fire Alarm is installed in the required locations* as well as testing the functionality of existing lighting.

Periodic Inspection Report & Fire Safety Log Book.
Following a Periodic Inspection of your Emergency Lighting Installation, Fire Systems Ltd will provide a Certificate that will detail the specific nature of the inspection along with any departures from BS5266 that may exist.
All certificates supplied by Fire Systems Ltd will clearly display our accreditation with the BAFE

BS5839 requires an up to date log book to be kept that details the type of Fire Alarm System Installed along with all events and checks to be logged. Where no log book is present, Fire Systems Ltd can supply a comprehensive log book that fully details the type of Fire Alarm system installed, responsible persons, contractors and even Manufacturers should spare parts be sought. All further fire alarm maintenance inspections will then be recorded within the “Events” section of the book.

*Viewing your risk assessment would be required to fully identify your

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Fire Alarm requirements.

Fire Alarm Systems

Fire Alarm Systems fall mainly in to two groups - Conventional Systems or Analogue Addressable Systems.

Within those two categories you can have wired and wireless fire alarm systems.

Addressable Fire Alarm Systems differ from conventional systems in several ways and certainly add more flexibility, processor intelligence, speed and accuracy of identification and scope of control. For this reason wireless fire alarm systems or Analogue Addressable Fire Alarm Systems are the natural choice for Commercial premises and more complex system requirements.

The fire detection in an analogue addressable system, the detectors are wired in a loop around the building with each detector having its own unique 'identification address'. The fire alarm system may contain one or more loops depending upon the size of the system and design requirements. The Fire Control Panel 'communicates' with each smoke detector individually and receives a status report e.g. Healthy, In Alarm or In Fault etc. As each smoke detector has an individual 'address' the fire alarm control panel is able to display/indicate the precise location of the device in question, which obviously helps speed the location of an fire activation.

The fire detection in Addressable fire alarm systems are, in themselves, "intelligent" devices which are capable of reporting far more than just fire or fault conditions, for example most smoke detectors are able to signal if contamination within the device (dust etc) reaches a pre-set level enabling fire alarm maintenance to take place prior to problems being experienced. Addressable detectors are also able to provide pre-alarm warnings when smoke/heat levels, reach a pre-set level enabling investigation of the fire to take place prior to a full evacuation alarm and Fire Brigade signalling taking place.

Addressable wireless fire alarms offer the same performance as a wired addressable system.

Fire alarm testing should be carried out on weekly basis, usually testing one manual call point per week and logging this into a fire log book.

The fire alarm service of both types of systems should be maintained at a minimum of a six monthly period.

HMO Fire Alarms

British Standard 5839 Pt 1 & 6 Fire Alarms
The type of fire alarm system that is required will vary according to the type of building or property.  This is usually determine after a Fire Risk Assessment has been untaken.  This will also apply to its use and the type of person(s) using the building.

The particular British standard that applies to fire alarm systems in dwellings is BS 5839-6 Fire detection and fire alarm
systems for buildings – Part 6 code of practice for the design, installation and maintenance for of fire detection and fire alarm systems in dwellings. Wireless fire alarm systems can also be used in within this standard.

BS 5839-6 prescribes the requirements for fire alarm systems. Different Grades and the extent of fire detection coverage are specified depending upon the type of building, height, occupier, use, etc.
It is essential that the occupant of the dwelling (including all occupants of a house in multiple occupation) understands:
the operation of the fire alarm system,
the action to take in the event of a fire alarm activation
the means of avoidance of false fire alarms activation,
the procedures for routine testing of the fire alarm system, and
the need for routine maintenance of the fire alarm system.

The above information will normally be provided in the first instance by the supplier of the fire alarm system ( we would recommend a London based company Fire Systems Ltd), but in the case of rented accommodation landlords should be in a position to provide this information to tenants.
It is essential that the fire detection and fire alarm system is subject to periodic inspection and testing, so that unrevealed faults are identified, and, in the case of more complex systems, so that preventive measures can be taken to ensure the continued reliability
of the fire alarm system. The frequency and detail of the fire alarm maintenance will depend on the grade of system installed and landlords should seek advice on fire detection and alarm system periodic inspection and testing from a competent person with specialist knowledge of fire detection and fire alarm systems, such as the fire alarm company mentioned above Fire Systems Ltd.

Fire Systems Ltd provided fire protection to UCKG (Universal Church Kingdom of God)

Fire System Ltd was awarded the contract for the design, supply, installation and commission of a new wireless fire alarm system for the head quarters of the UCKG in the UK.

The head quarters  is a Grade 2 listed building the Rainbow in North London.

Due to the artistic and beautiful design now inside the Rainbow, it was not feasible to wire the required fire alarm system.

The client having approached a number of fire alarm companies, but Fire Systems were awarded the fire alarm contract, due to their expertise within the wireless fire alarm field.

Fire Systems, install all types of fire alarms, but have specialise in wireless fire alarms for the last 5 years. All the fire detection on this project is wireless.

Fire Systems, also carry out the fire alarm service and maintenance, plus providing 24 hour call out.

At present,  alarm is covering 75% of the property and is to be extended into the residential areas at a later stage.

The fire alarm system was required after the fire brigade carried out a fire risk assessment and deemed that the building required a fire alarm system to a L3 design category.